The paint stripping is progressing quickly.   The east and north walls have been completed.

The north wall didn’t strip as well as the east wall.   There is a diagonal line up the building where the wall was raised in 1910.  The lower bricks should be sooty but are soft like the barn, and like the barn they have been damaged by the effects of waterproof paint and it’s removal.

It is fashionable these days to be able to ‘read’ old buildings and the north wall does not disappoint as it also shows the outline of the earlier 1646 building.  At least we thought it was the outline but it’s looking like there might be some of the original building hiding under lime render on lath applied in the late 19th century.  We can’t remove the paint without damaging the render, but don’t want to leave waterproof paint on there.   We’ve left it for now pending research and advice.

The front door surround looks like bath stone.  It stripped well.  I don’t know why someone thought magnolia would look nicer.   We originally thought the stone had been salvaged from another building, but there is also bath stone above and below the bay windows so it looks like it was cut for the property.

There is evidence of writing over the front door.  It is possible to make out the words licensed, spirits, and tobacco.   The top line is the name of the landlord at the time, William T Davey.   He was  the landlord from 1910 to 1933.   We think the facade was constructed in 1910.    Edit – more likely 1921.

The stonework above the door and the stonework on the window sills has some surface damage.  It looks like it was rough before but the paint stripping has caused more damage.